The Philadelphia Phillies have officially announced the two players joining their roster as Major League Baseball’s roster expansion takes them from 26 players to 28, but the decisions have already sparked plenty of questions among fans.
Philadelphia will welcome back catcher Rafael Marchan, who has completed his rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. The Phillies will also add right-handed pitcher Grant Holman, who will wear No. 51.
While both moves make sense from a depth perspective, the overall decision-making is difficult to understand, particularly with the Phillies entering an important stretch of the season.
Marchan’s return is the biggest head-scratcher.
With J.T. Realmuto firmly established as Philadelphia’s starting catcher and Garrett Stubbs already occupying the backup role, adding a third catcher creates a roster situation that does not appear to provide interim manager Don Mattingly with much additional flexibility.
Realmuto is going to receive the majority of the starts behind the plate, while Stubbs has already demonstrated that he can contribute in unconventional ways. He has appeared at other positions and has even taken the mound in mop-up situations when the game has been out of reach.
With Marchan now back, however, Stubbs could find himself spending even more time on the bench.
That is particularly notable because Philadelphia could have used the additional roster spot on a more versatile position player.
The Phillies entered the season with questions surrounding their outfield depth and failed to acquire a right-handed-hitting outfielder before the trade deadline. Someone such as Otto Kemp could have provided another offensive option while giving Mattingly additional flexibility around the diamond.
Instead, Philadelphia chose to add another catcher.
There is also an interesting subplot involving Tommy Pham.
The veteran outfielder signed a minor league deal with the Phillies in June and was eventually traded to the Chicago White Sox ahead of the Sept. 1 roster expansion. Pham was expected to join Chicago as part of its expanded roster, making it fair to wonder whether Philadelphia initially envisioned him being part of its own plans before the trade came together.
The decision to promote Holman is even more surprising.
The right-hander has yet to appear in a Major League game this season, despite several other pitchers in the Lehigh Valley organization having more obvious connections to Philadelphia’s bullpen.
Kyle Backhus, Alan Rangel and Brian Keller all have experience with the Phillies this season and would have been understandable choices for a roster spot. Instead, Philadelphia went with Holman, who enters the organization with 40 Major League appearances for the Athletics in 2024 and 2025 and a career 4.66 ERA.
That experience certainly gives Holman some value, but his promotion still feels unexpected given the other options available.
And for many Phillies fans, the biggest disappointment is not who Philadelphia added, but who it did not.
That player is Gage Wood.
The 2025 first-round pick has quickly become one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the organization, and there is obvious excitement surrounding the possibility of seeing him make his Major League debut during the stretch run.
Wood has primarily been developed as a starting pitcher, and the Phillies have remained committed to keeping him on that path. That approach makes sense for his long-term development, especially considering the potential he has shown since entering the organization.
However, Wood also has experience working out of the bullpen from his time with the Arkansas Razorbacks. That could make him an intriguing option if Philadelphia eventually decides it needs another power arm in relief.
For now, the Phillies appear determined not to rush him.
That stance could change once the minor league season concludes, particularly if Philadelphia needs additional pitching depth during the postseason push.
The organization has already shown similar caution with another promising young arm, Alex McFarlane. The Phillies previously expressed hesitation about moving McFarlane into a bullpen role, although circumstances may force them to reconsider how they handle their young pitching talent.
The same could eventually happen with Wood.
Philadelphia is fighting through a crucial part of the season, and every roster decision carries additional weight. The Phillies have enough veteran talent to make a deep postseason run, but the margin for error is shrinking.
Adding Marchan gives the team catching depth, while Holman provides another arm. Still, neither move addresses some of the areas fans may have expected the front office to prioritize.
The Phillies now have their 28-man roster, but the reaction to the expansion is likely to remain mixed.
For Mattingly, the challenge will be finding meaningful ways to use the additional pieces while keeping his most important players fresh.
And for fans, the focus will quickly shift toward whether these unexpected additions can make an impact — or whether the Phillies eventually wish they had used those roster spots differently.
